Arjun
System Administrator AutomationRajiv Gandhi National University of Law,
Patiala

and

Sharmila
Bose
Librarian
Vidyasagar College of Education
Siliguri, West Bengal

Abstract

Study of the category of research and
publication in the field of Punjab library history. Only about a dozen
scholars are identified as library historians, but a number of younger
librarians are expected to continue their work. There is little published
research, and little attention to library history. It is suggested that a
revival of interest in library history would be useful as the profession
activities to solve contemporary problems, by offering insight into
alternative courses of action.

INTRODUCTION
OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Public libraries arise worldwide along with growth in education,
literacy, and publications. Every country has its own public library history
with influential leaders. Monarchs, wealthy people, and philanthropists have
all made a contribution to society in the form of public library
development. Services to children and young people aged
from birth to adolescence provided by public library. Community information
may be information about an organization that can help people in particular
circumstances. For example, a public library. The relationship between
literacy and library remains strong. In a non-literate community a public
library is inconceivable. Without a good Public library communities may not
retain literacy already acquired, may be unable to extend cultural and
scientific literacy and may find it difficult, if not impossible, to engage
in processes of lifelong learning. Today’s library, in seeking to serve an
information society, has changed drastically and yet remains unchanged in
its essential cultural mission –as the public repository of imaginative
and collective constructions of reality and as an agency to serve different
publics in the intra-generational and intergenerational dissemination,
utilization and validation of currently held knowledge.

The
public library system did not prevail. Few monsters, temples and kings had
private collections of manuscripts and books. Library facilities were
available only for very few. There were few public libraries largely
sponsored by book loving kingdoms. Imperial Library (Now National Library).
Book Act was also passed during British period, which could help in
developing good collection in some libraries. The first Public Library Act
was passed only after
Independence
.

LIBRARY
LEGISLATION

The current
status of the public library system in
India
is hard to ascertain and describe, because a consolidated picture is not
available. There are twenty-eight states and seven union territories in
India
. All have their own public library systems, structure, and pattern of
financial assistance. Twelve of the states have enacted library legislation
and the rest are providing public library service without legislation. The
states that have enacted library legislation are:

1. Tamil Nadu (formerly
Madras
) Public Libraries Act. 1948

2. Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act. 1960

3. Karnataka Public Library Act 1965

4.
Maharashtra
Public Libraries Act 1967

5. West
Bengal
Public Libraries Act 1979

6. Manipur Public Libraries Act 1988

7. Kerala Public Libraries Act 1989

8. Haryana Public Libraries Act 1989

9. Mizoram Public Libraries Act 1993

10.
Goa
Public Libraries Act 1993

11.
Gujarat
Public Libraries Act 2002

12. Orissa Public Library Act 2002

PUNJAB LIBRARY LEGISLATION

The Punjab Library Association has been making attempts since 1948
to have library law enacted in the state and its first provincial conference
was held in 1948 in which Mr.
Trehan submitted a memorandum to the Govt. for enacting Public Library Law
which should provide for:

1.Appointment of Directorate of Public Libraries;

2.Constitution of a Public Library Authority;

3.Constitution of Legal Library Authority;

4.Institution of Library Fund;

5.Payment of royalty to authors from the Library funds.

This can be regarded as the first attempt towards raising a
demand for the Library Legislation in
Punjab
.

Under Punjab Gram Panchayat Act 1953, it was the duty of Gram Panchayat to establish libraries and
reading room with in the limit funds. Some libraries were set up in towns
and villages. In 1959 Punjab
Library Association approached the Local Self Government, Department of
Punjab which took action in 1964.
Mr. Trehan again submitted a fresh draft of Punjab Public Libraries Bill to
Central Library Committee in 1968
but the finance could not be met out of the normal revenue of the state. In 1989
the association revived with a new enthusiasm, organized a book exhibition
and a seminar on Public Library System on 22-23 November 1991,
Punjab Library Association organized seminar on Public Library System and
Library Legislation and decided to have the public supported network of
public library system up to the block and village level on the statute Book
of the state. The draft Bill prepared by and Expert Committee of Punjab
Library Association is ready wity association and is going too submitted to
the state government as soon as possible.

PUNJAB

Punjab state is
North-Western
State
of
India
, bordered on the North by
Jammu and Kashmir
and Himachal Pradesh, on the South by Haryana, on the South-West by
Rajasthan and on the west by Pakistan Country. Punjab has been the most
successful state of
India
with distinctive heritage.
Punjab
has witnessed many upheavals throughout its history. It is also called the
‘Gateway of India’. Presently,
Punjab
has twenty districts:

1.Patiala

2.Amritsar

3.Jalandhar

4.Fathehgarh Sahib

5.Faridkot

6.Ropar

7.Sangrur

8.Mohali

9.Manasa

10.Hoshiarpur

11.Ferozepur

12.Gurdaspur

13.Kapurthala

14.Bathinda

15.Nava Shaha

16.Taran Taaran

17.Moga

18.Mukatsar

19.Barnala

20.Ludhiana

Chandigarh is the capital of two states,
Punjab
and Haryana. The
total area of the state is 50,362 square kilometres (19,445 square miles).
The
total Population of the
Punjab
is 2,43,58,599 consist of mainly Jats and Hindu Rajputs. About 30% Punjab
people lives in Cities and 70%
Punjab
people lives in villages. So, we can say that
Punjab
lives in villages.

HISTORY
OF
PUNJAB
PUBLIC LIBRARY

The partition of
India
shook the Punjab because many good libraries went to
Lahore
,
Pakistan
and the there was disorder in the state. The Punjab divided into East
Punjab, India and West Panjab,
Pakistan
. The public, institutions and libraries suffered a lot and most important
materials lost due to exchange and passage of public. Five important
libraries were established in
Lahore
,
Pakistan
including the Punjab Public Library Lahore, 1884.

First Punjab
Public Library,
Lahore
was established in 1884 by the
Government of India. This Library was not rooted through the law, nor did it
form the apex of any system of libraries. It was solitary, though the second
biggest library in the country, next to the imperial library,
Calcutta
. Being the first central library of Punjab, it occupied a significant place
and played a vital role in the library movement of
Punjab
. The library is still functioning at
Lahore
in
Pakistan
and is a proud heritage of
British India
. The road leading to Library has been named as
Library Road
. Only the members had the facility to loan out books from the library. The
library used to receive grants from the Punjab Government and some of the
local bodies in the state.

The Great Philanthropists, S. Dyal Singh Majithia and S. Ganga Ram
can be called the “Humanitarian of Punjab”. They promoted development of
libraries in undivided
Punjab
. As such S. Dyal Singh Public Library was established at
Lahore
in 1896. He made a trust in the name of S. Dyal Singh for the
maintenance of Public library for diffusing education in citizen and to
enlighten the people with new learning.S. Ganga Ram commercial Public Library was established through a
trust in 1923 to organize and
control the money donated by charities. This Library had a rich English
tradition collection of nationalism and liberalism which extend the glory of
England
. The “Dwarka Das Public Library”
Lahore
was established in 1921 by lok
Sewak Mandal made by Lala Lajpat Rai. The Library house an excellent
collection of political collection of political leaders. The membership of
the library is open to the public as well as for the students of
Tilak
School
of politics founded by Lala Lajpat Rai for youth who could not continue
their studies during non-Cooperation Movement. After the Partition, the
Library was rehabilitated at
Chandigarh
, Scetor -15 and is functioning as Cultural Centre.

The first Municipal Library in
Ludhiana
was started as early as in 1878
even before the Punjab Public Library,
Lahore1884.Thereafter, Municipal Libraries were established in Various Cities
e.g. Municipal Library,
Patiala1897, Moti Lal Nehru Public
Library,
Amritsar1900, Municipal Library,
Kapurthala 1904, Central Public
Library, Sangrur 1912, Patiala
Union Public Library, Sangrur 1914.

Village Libraries were established in various villages by
Education and Cooperative Departments of Punjab Government in the buildings
of middle and normal schools during 1920-30.
The numbers of such libraries were about 1500 during that period. These
libraries used to open in the evening after the school hours. Language
Teachers were made in-charge of these libraries. Useful and interesting
literature, newspaper, periodicals, pamphlets and books for adults and
publications of Department of Agriculture and Co-operations were supplied to
these libraries. The Library was run by the cooperative society of the
village. In this time, the Punjab Govt. had established 1500 rural libraries
attached to middle schools.

Away from each other, Small Public libraries and reading rooms
were also opened by local bodies in small towns of the state. The
development society in
Punjab
during the 1920’s also
contributed towards educating the people through Public Libraries. The Arya
Samaj society made the teaching of Vedas, Puranas and other post vedic
literature the property of common people by publishing them in regional
language and providing them in the Public Libraries. The Singh Sabha Society
led to the publication of literature in Punjabi Language for the most part
the religious literature. Bhai Vir Singh and other Sikh missionaries worked
much in this direction.
Reading
rooms were opened in the Gurdwaras at Amritsir, Nankana Sahib and Mukatsar
under the charge of Granthis. (Sikh Priests).

CENTRAL
STATE LIBRARIES

In 1955, Tirlok Singh Central State Library,
Chandigarh
was established.
Central
State
Library,
Patiala
and three district libraries at Dharamsala, Jalandhar and Ambala were also
set up. The district library of Narnaul in 1962,
The district library of Gurdaspur in 1966
were set up by the Government. The state Central Library,
Patiala
was inaugurated by C.P.N, the then governor of
Punjab
.

On Nov, 1966, the
Punjab
was reorganized and a new Hindi speaking state ‘Haryana’ was created.
The size of the state was cut to less than half and many institutional and
Public Libraries sent to the other states. The T.S. Central State Library,
Chandigarh
went to Union Territory Chandigarh and the District Library of Dharamshala
went to Himachal Pradesh and Ambala and Narnaul were transferred to Haryana.
The
Punjab
was left with only two District Libraries of jalandhar and Sangrur. The New
District Libraries were established after 1966 are: The Central Public
Library,
Patiala
became the Central State Library and was renamed as Musafir Memorial Central
State Library. After this many District Libraries were established such as
District Libraries Amritsar 1982, Fatehgarh Sahib 1995, Ropar and Kapurthala
1966, Public Library Mohali 2007, and Mansa District Library 1995.

PRESENT
SITUATION OF
PUNJAB
PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Presently, The
Punjab Public Library System is managed by the Directorate of Public
Instruction which is assisted by Assistant Director, Cultural Affairs. At
Present there is 01 Central State Libraries, 14 District Libraries, 104
Municipal Libraries, 1200 Rural Libraries, 3000Reading Rooms in the State. So, Out of 20 Districts, the Six District
of Nava Shahar, Taran Taran Taaran , Moga, Mukatsar, Barnala and
Ludhiana
have not their District Libraries. So all the 14 District Libraries are
selected for study.